Windmill.



' No.741,51 5. PAT-ENTED 0CT.13,1903.

- T.W; LOWE.

WINDMILL. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8. 1903.-

no MODEL. 3 sums-sum 1.

. IT I 'INVENTOR H a fieatlaz e 77. loll 6 ATTORN k nu: Noun PETERS co. Puorouwo WASHINGTON. n, c.

PATENTED 001. 1s

No MODEL 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' T. W." LOWE. WINDMILL APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, 1903.

WITNESSES:

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onnrmo" WASHINGTON ly o. 741,515. I

UNITED STATES Patented October 13, 1903.

PATENT OF ICE.

THEODORE WICK'LOWE, OF STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

:WIINDMILL.

$PEGIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 741,515, dated October 13, 1903. Application filed June 8, 190?. Serial Ilo. 160.535. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE WICK LOWE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stockton, in the county of San Joaquin and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Windmill, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in windmills, the same belonging to structures of the class disclosed by my prior patent, No.

708,375, dated September 2, 1902, wherein I wheel may also be locked against rotation either automatically or manually, so that the pressure of the 'wind on the vanes will have the eifect of throwing the latter edgewise to the wind, and thi1s permit the wind to pass with comparative freedomthrough the wheel.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description, and the novelty will be defined by the annexed claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indiperspective view of the brake-lever, and Fig. 5 is a detail cross-section taken in the plane of the dotted line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

A designates a tower of any suitable construction, the same being provided at its up- The per portion with a cap a and a bearing-plate a. A,tubular vertical bearing-sleeve B is secured in a suitable way to the cap a and the bearing-plate a, and in this sleeve is fitted a tubular spindle C of the forked head or turn-table O, the latter having ball-bearing engagement at c with the upper portion of the fixed sleeve B. The head 0 is shown by Fig. 3 as having alined openings a, forming the bearings for a horizontal wheel-shaft D,

'the latter being'provided at one end with a 'cOunterpQised, adapted to be clamped adjustably on said shaft by a suitable bindingscrew d. The shaft is adapted tobe rotated by the motion of a windmill constructed in accordance with the present invention, and the motion of this shaft is transmitted to a suitable plunger-rod E by any mechanical contrivance, such as an eccentric or a cam; but in the drawingsl have shown this wheelshaft as having a'crank 01 which is connected "operatively with said plunger-rod E. The

plunger-rod plays freely through the tubular spindle C of the forked head 0, the latter being adapted to rotate in a horizontal plane freely on .the tower, and the lower portion of this plunger-rod is connected op'eratively with the piston-rod 13 of a pump F. The pumprod is counterpoised by any suitable form of retractor for the purpose of assisting the mill in the operation of the pump, and in Fig. 1 this retractor is shown in the form of a lever G, fulcrumed on a suitable arm 9 and connected at one end with the pump-rod, the other end of said lever having a weight 9.

Although I have shown the windmill as adapted for use in connection with a pump, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to this special adaptation of the mill, because it may be used in connection with any kindof machinery and for power purposes generally.

Certain parts of my improved wheel are f carried by a tubular shaft 5, which is in the form of a sleeve 6, fitted to the wheel-shaft D and is adapted to be madefast with said shaft for rotation therewith. Thewheel consists of members 6, 7, and 8 and a plurality of blades or vanes 9, which are hung on the members 6 and S and are operatively connected with the member 7. The member 6 comprises a hub 6, a series of radial arms or rods 6, and a rim 6, said arms or rods uniting the hub and the rim solidly one to the other. The hub 6 of the member 6 is fastened securely to the inner portion of the tubular shaft 5, and to the outer portion of said tubular shaft is rigidly secured the other member, 8, of the wheel. Said member 8 may be made in the form of a disk or a spider, and it is adapted to serve as the support for a plurality of inclined vane-rods 10. Each vane-rod is connected at its rear end to an edge portion of the wheel member or disk 8-- as, for example, by looping said rod in an aperture of said disk-while the other end of each vane-rod is attached to the rim 6 in a suitable wayas, for example, by looping or hooking said end of the rod to said rim. The series of vanes 9 extend in inclined directions from the rim 6 toward the disk or spider 8, and each vane is disposed in an oblique position to the axis of the shafts D 5. Each vane is made of a single piece of suitable materialsuch as thin sheet metal, a speciallyprepared form of papier-mach, or any other suitable material which will resist the effects of the weather and possesses the necessary durability and strength. Any desired number of vanes may be used in the series, and these vanes are slightly curved and twisted, so as to catch the greatest possible amount of wind, the latter gliding down the full length of the blades and increasing in force on the active surfaces of the blades. The vanes are disposed within the rods 10, to which they are fastened at points intermediate the length of said vanes by means of series of clips 11, one of which is shown by Fig. 5. Each clip straddles or embraces one of the vane-rods and has prongs being bent against the inner face of said vane, or said vanes may be attached to the rods by such other practical means as may be desired. The member 7 of the wheel constitutes a means by which the positions of the series of vanes may be shifted simultaneously, and this memher is mounted on the wheel-shaft loosely, as to have a movement or play independently of the remaining members of the wheel. Said wheel member 7consists of a hub 7 a rim 7 and aseries of radial arms or rods 7, all united in a substantial way. The diameter of the rim 7", forming a part of the shiftable wheel member, is less than that of the rim 6, and the hub 7 of this shiftable member is fitted on the wheel-shaft D at a point adjacent to the hub 6 of the large wheel member. The rim 7 of the shiftable wheel member is adjacent to the inner corners of the oblique vanes 9, constituting the active wind-pressure surfaces of the wheel, and these vanes have said inner corners attached in a suitable way to the rim 7 of said member 7. As shown by Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, said inner corners of the vanes are attached to the rim 7 by the cords, wires, or their equivalents 12, and an axial turning movement of this shiftable wheel member serves to deflect or change the vanes 9 simultaneously and uniformly. The rim of the shiftable Wheel member is held normally in a given position by suitable forms of retractors, and in the drawings these retractors are shown in the form of curved springs 13. Said springs are attached at their inner end portions to the hub 6 of the large member of the wheel, while the outer ends of the springs are fitted slidably in the rim 7 of the shiftable wheel member, each spring being curved in such a direction as to normally hold the rim 7 in one position. The springs 13 are adapted to be deflected by an axial turning movement of this shiftable wheel member in order to place the springs under increased tension when it is turned to change the position of the series of vanes. From this description it will be seen that the shiftable member 7 is mounted independently of that part of the wheel carried by the hollow or solid shaft 5, although the member 7 is operatively connected with one wheel member by the springs 13, thus insuring simultaneous rotation of all the parts when normal conditions prevail. An increased pressure of wind above the normal against the active faces of the series of oblique blades operates to make them pull on the member 7 in a way to turn the rim and increase the tension of the springs 13, thus allowing the wheel to automatically adjust itself to high winds and cause the blades to present surfaces of less area to the action. of the wind, whereby the wheel is practically thrown out of the wind in an automatic manner under a very great increase in wind-pressure. The wheel may also be thrown out of the wind by automatic devices or by hand, and to this end I employ a two-part brake mechanism adapted to be controlled by a float or by a cable. One member of the brake consists of a bail or loop-shaped lever 14, which is hung at a point intermediate of its length, as at 15, in the forked head 0. This lever has a friction-surface 14, which is in opposing relation to the hub 7 of the shiftable wheel member, said hub thus acting as the revoluble part of a brake. An operatingcable 16 is connected to a deflected portion 14 of the brake-lever, and this cable runs through the tubular spindle C and the bearing-sleeve B of the tower, the lower end of said cable being equipped with a pull-ring or other suitable device (indicated at 17) and adapted for operation by hand. (See Fig. 1.) To the cable 16 at a point below the bearingsleeve Bis attached one end ofaleve r 18,which is fulcrumed on a tank F, in which operates a float 19, adapted to rideagainst the free end of said lever 18, whereby the elevation of the float will pull down on the cable 16 and apply the brake-surface 14 of the lever against the hub or brake member 7. In order to increase the efficiency of the brake mechanism, I have provided a yieldable brake-spring 20, which is fastened to the head C in a suitable way, The free end of this brake-spring as at 21.

is equipped with a shoe 22, arranged to bear against the periphery of the hub or brake I member 7. Said brake-spring is connected operatively with the brake-lever 14 by a link 23; but normally the energy of the spring 20 is sufficient to release the shoe 22 from engagement with said hub or brake member 7. A downward pull on the cable 16, however, turns the lever 14 in a direction to apply its brake-surface 14: against the hub 7 and simultaneously with this movement of the brakelever the link 23 pulls on the brakespring 20 and forces the shoe 22 against the periphery of the hub, whereby the two parts 14 22 operate against the face and periphery of said hub in a way to retard or arrest the rotation of the shiftable brake member.

It is evident that the cable 16 may be operated by hand or by the float in a way to apply the brake, and thus lock the wheel member 7 against rotation. This has the effect of pulling onthe vanes 9 when the pressure of wind is acting against them, and the locking of the shiftable brake member, taken in connection With the pressure of the wind, operates to throw the wheel out of the wind, because the blades or vanes 9 will adjust themselves to present their edges or a very limited amount of surface to the pressure of the wind.

The wheel may be equipped with a tail or controller, (indicated at H in Figs. 1 and 3.) Said tail has a series of blades h, attached to a central stem h, which is fastened in a suitable way to the end portion of the wheelshaft D.

My improved windmill may be made of metal throughout, although the vanes 9 may be made of any other suitable material. The wheel is exceedingly simple, cheap, and durable in construction. It possesses great strength, and it is perfectly automatic. The wheel presents a large surface to the pressure of the wind, every portion of which is utilized, thus securing a large amount of power for the rotation of the wheel.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Awind-wheel having a solid shaft, a hollow shaft sleeved thereon, wheel members of difierent diameter fast with-said hollow shaft, inclined vanes attached to the wheel members in oblique positions, an axially shiftable wheel carried by the solid shaft and connected operatively with corners of said oblique and inclined vanes, and tension devices operable on the shiftable wheel for normally holding the vanes in their active oblique positions.

2. A wind-wheel having a solid shaft, a hollow shaft sleeved thereon, wheel members of difierent diameter carried by the hollow shaft, inclined rods supported by saidwheel members, vanes hung by said rods, an axiallyshiftable wheel connected to the vanes at the corners thereof, and tension devices associated with the shiftable wheel member for holding the vanes in oblique positions.

3. A wind-wheel having av shaft, a wheel-- rim and a wheel-disk connected by a tubular shaft, a shiftable axially-turning wheel adjacent the wheel-rim, a series of oblique vanes inclined between the wheel-rim and thewheeldisk and supported thereby to turn into and out of the wind, means connecting the vanes and the shiftable wheel,a tension device holding the shiftable wheel in one position, and means for retarding or arresting the rotation of the shiftable wheel.

4. A wind-wheel having a shaft, a tubular shaft, wheel members of different diameters carried by said tubular shaft, a series of oblique vanes supported in inclined positions by said wheel members, a shiftable wheel mounted on the shaft for movement longitudinally of the wheel members and connected operatively with said series of vanes, said shiftable wheel being compactly and laterally disposed to the large wheel member, and a tension device for said shiftable wheel.

5. A wind-wheel having a shaft,wheel members revoluble therewith and connected by intermediate rods, a series of vanes hung on,

said rods, a shiftable wheel member capable of a limitedindependent movement with respect to the other wheel members, said shift-' able wheel member having operative connection with said series of vanes, and a tension device for said shiftable wheel member.

6. A wind-wheel having a shaft, a .tubular shaftloose thereon, wheel members revoluble with said tubular shaft, movable oblique Y vanes supported in inclined positions by said, inclined members, each vane having a freecorner, an axially-shiftable wheel connected operativel y with said free corners of the vanes,

and tension-springs attached to said shaft and connected with said shiftable wheel.

7. A wind-wheel having a shiftable member connected with a series of vanes, and a two-part brake ha'ving means for engagement .with the periphery and exposed face of a hub of the shiftable wheel member.

8. A wind-wheel having a series of movable vanes, a shiftable wheel member connected with said vanes, a tension device for said wheel member, a brake-lever mounted for engagement with the face of the wheelmember hub, a brake-spring having a shoe adapted for engagement with the periphery of said hub, and means for simultaneously operating the brake-lever and the brakespring.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THEODORE WICK LOWE.

Witnesses:

O. E. LITTLEHALE, J. A. HARVEY. 

